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Doha – The Liberian government signed an agreement with Tanger Med Engineering last week to modernize the ports of Monrovia and Buchanan, according to Liberian media reports.
The Moroccan firm will implement a comprehensive master plan to revitalize these vital maritime gateways into economic development drivers.
Led by Liberia’s National Port Authority (NPA) under Director General Sekou Hussein Dukuly, the project aligns with President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s ARREST agenda, which prioritizes agriculture, roads, reconciliation, education, health, and technology.
The plan specifically targets infrastructure renewal, regional integration, and sustainable growth. The collaboration follows months of technical exchanges between the two parties.
“This agreement goes beyond a simple infrastructure project: it’s a national milestone,” Dukuly told local media. “By investing in world-class port facilities, we are laying the foundations for job creation, capital attraction, and sustainable growth.”
The modernization plan encompasses rehabilitation of container terminals, upgrade of cargo berths, modernization of warehouses, deployment of smart logistics platforms, installation of advanced security systems, and integration of environmentally responsible energy solutions.
Dredging operations will increase the ports’ capacity to accommodate larger vessels, potentially boosting trade volumes along the West African maritime corridor.
The program also anticipates substantial improvements in the country’s logistics performance. The plan aims to reduce clearance times, increase operational capacity, and digitize port and customs services.
These changes are expected to create a more transparent and efficient business environment that could stimulate economic activity.
Additionally, the master plan positions Monrovia to serve as a transit corridor for neighboring landlocked states. Mali and Guinea would benefit from improved access through Liberian ports, potentially strengthening the country’s position within West Africa’s economic structure.
This agreement deepens commitments established in November 2024 between the NPA and Marsa Maroc. That memorandum of understanding defined two main projects: creating a multipurpose terminal at Monrovia port through a public-private partnership, and rehabilitating the Buchanan port terminal, including its design, financing, construction, and management.
Liberian officials present at the signing included Senator Momo T. Cyrus, chairman of the national security commission, Representative Austin B. Taylor, chairman of the maritime commission, and Representative Sekou Kanneh, chairman of the executive commission.
The collaboration with Tanger Med Engineering represents another step in the North African country’s expanding maritime influence in Africa.
In January, Marsa Maroc established a subsidiary, Marsa Maroc International Logistics, to manage investments and operate new ports in East and West Africa.
This subsidiary has already made important moves, investing in Damerjog Oil FZE, which plans to build an oil and gas port on Djibouti’s Gulf of Aden coast. Additionally, it created Marsa Benin to operate terminals 1 and 5 at Benin’s port of Cotonou in West Africa.
Once completed, the modernized ports could help redistribute commercial flows along the Atlantic coast and potentially capture substantial transshipment traffic from more congested regional ports.
Read also: Tanger Med Port Reached Over $1.2 Billion Revenue in 2024
